Work In Progress

Lauderdale Works On Zoning Rules For Annexed Areas

Fort Lauderdale is working to bring zoning guidelines for the Melrose Park and Riverland areas into greater conformance with the rest of the city.

City leaders have had meetings with neighborhood groups the past two years to gather input on zoning regulations to adopt while still preserving the unique characteristics of each area. The areas were annexed into the city seven years ago.

Possible changes include increased setbacks for fences and commercial vehicles, requirements to fence in swimming pools, maximum height limits for homes, and a prohibition on cell phone towers, churches and other houses of worship in residential areas.

Donna Guthrie, president of the Melrose Park Homeowners Association, said she and her members were assured by city officials that group homes, duplexes and other multi-family housing developments would not be permitted in their neighborhood of about 2,000 single-family homes, from Broward Boulevard to Jackson Boulevard and State Road 7 to 31st Avenue.

"We are adamant about remaining a single-family home area," she said. "We're trying to preserve the community the way it is and to make improvements."

Some neighborhood leaders say the city's code officers have already begun enforcement efforts, even though the areas are still operating under county codes that were in force before they were annexed.

Charles Grimsley, president of the Riverland Woods Homeowners Association, said some of his members have been approached and cited erroneously about issues regarding maximum building heights, but "they have systematically worked through those problems."

He said his members favor the city's more stringent codes involving residential swimming pools.

"As an association, we want the pools to be completely enclosed for the safety of the children," said Grimsley, whose association represents a small enclave from the New River south to Riverland Road and from 29th to 30th streets.

Bryan O'Toole, president of the Riverland Village Civic Association, said some members have been contacted by the city about code enforcement issues.

"We would like to have it finalized so we know what we are working under," said O'Toole, whose group represents 960 members living between 31st and 35th avenues and from Riverland Road to 14th Street.

Dirk Lowry, president of the 740-member Lauderdale Isles Civic Improvement Association, said that for the most part, his members would like to keep much of the county codes.

"We'd like to maintain the county codes because they are a little more lenient," he said.

One exception: in this area of mostly waterfront homes between the New River and Riverland Road and Andros Drive to State Road 7, residents prefer the less-stringent boat dock regulations of the city, which permit larger boats, he said.

David Bayer, head of the 40-member Riverland Manors Association, said he is satisfied with the way city officials have received their input.

"I thought that the city did a good job in presenting the information. They asked for our input and they gave us exactly what we asked for," said Bayer, whose group represents the area between Riverland Road to the New River and Arbor Way to Southwest 30th Avenue.